Navigating choppy waters? Maersk knows the feeling. After a turbulent quarter marked by disruptions in global shipping routes and freight rates, A.P. Moller-Maersk foresees smoother sailing ahead. The company now anticipates global container trade to grow by 2.5-4.5% this year, with projections leaning towards the upper end of this range.

• Maersk surpassed analysts’ expectations with $1.59B in EBITDA — but its ocean shipping business sustained a third consecutive quarterly loss due to Red Sea conflicts.
• Nonetheless, robust demand and increased freight costs from longer routes have led the company to raise its minimum profit forecast to $4B.

Global trade comeback: The World Trade Organization (WTO) recently predicted a promising rebound in global trade volumes for 2024 — forecasting a 2.6% growth following last year’s slump, driven by easing inflation and normalized monetary policies. Despite potential disruptions from geopolitical tensions and trade fragmentation, the WTO remains optimistic, expecting trade volumes to further increase to 3.3% in 2025.